Grains

You might think that I had lofty, ideological reasons for embarking on that journey.

No, not so much…

The truth is that a friend told me I could never be a vegetarian. Hence, I (of course) proved her wrong and remained vegetarian for 10 years!!!

Well, my mother had no intention of changing the nightly menu of meat or chicken, accompanied by salad and rice & beans, to accommodate my new diet. So, yup, I ate salad and rice & beans every single night for years!

Therefore, you can assume that I know a lot about rice.

On a basic level, every grain is composed of:

Husk – inedible outer layer removed during processing

Endosperm – starchy mass that forms most of the kernel

Bran – tough but edible layer covering the endosperm

Germ – embryo that forms the new plant when the seed sprouts

As you’ll note below in the chart detailing the different varieties of grains, the options are almost endless. Relatively inexpensive, they are delicious and highly versatile once you become familiar with the most common cooking methods. Once you learn these methods, you can make a pilaf or risotto out of any grain you like.

PRIMARY COOKING METHODS FOR ALL GRAINS:

SIMMERING

This is the classic preparation

Rinse the grain and drain

Add water and bring to a boil

Season with salt and pepper

Stir, cover and cook on low heat for the appropriate cooking time (depending on grain)

When ready, let stand covered and fluff

PASTA METHOD is a sub-method of simmering and involves dropping the washed grain into boiling salted water. When tender, strain

PILAF/BRAISING

Like Braising, the grain is first sauteed in fat and then cooked in liquid

Sweat onions in a bit of oil or butter with salt and pepper

Add the grains and coat them in the fat

Add hot liquid and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally

Cover and cook on stove or in oven for appropriate time (depending on grain)

Remove from heat, let stand

RISOTTO

Sweat onions in a bit of oil or butter and salt and pepper

Add the grains and coat them in the fat

Gradually add small amount of boiling liquid and keep stirring until absorbed

Repeat until the grain is “al dente” – firm but cooked through

Serve immediately

RICE

The most commonly cooked grain, most people struggle with what ratio of rice to liquid should be used. Here’s your go-to guide:

PROPORTIONS FOR BOILED/STEAMED RICE –RICE: LIQUID

Regular long-grain white rice

1: 2

Parboiled long-grain rice

1: 2.25

Medium-grain white rice

1: 1.7

Brown rice

1: 2.6

And if you’ve ever been confused or overwhelmed by the types of rice and other grains, here’s your guide.

GRAIN VARIETIES

Regular milled white rice

Enriched , Short grain, Medium grain, Long-grain

Bran coating removed

Parboiled or converted rice

Partially cooked under steam pressure, re-dried and polished – most commonly used

Instant rice

Precooked and dried

Brown rice

Bran layer retained

Arborio rice

Italian variety of short-grain rice – used for traditional risotto

Basmati rice

Extra long-grain rice widely used in India

Jasmine rice

Fragrant long-grain rice from Thailand

Wild pecan rice

Cultivated long-grain rice from Louisiana

Glutinous rice

Sticky/Sweet rice – short grain rice that is soaked and steamed

Wehani rice

Aromatic rice, red in color

Corn

Eaten fresh; Husk covers the entire seed head

Polenta

Italian-style cornmeal

Hominy

Corn that has been treated with lye; when cracked becomes grits; whole-grain form is known in Mexican cuisine as pozole

Cracked wheat

Whole wheat grains cut into smaller pieces

Bulgur

Cracked wheat that has been partially cooked

Wheatberries

Whole grain minus the hulls

Green wheat

Harvested when immature and then dried

Farro/spelt

Wheatlike grain that may be ancestor of wheat

Wild rice

Seed of a grass native to northern US & Canada

Kamut

Another ancient relative of wheat

Buckwheat

Seed of a plant so not technically a grain; toasted is called kasha

Barley

Bran layers removed

Oats

Whole grains that have been steamed and flattened

Millet

Small, round yellow; used as bird seed here but common for human consumption in other parts of the world